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reginasage's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
Fantastic read. Really great, and has me thinking about things still. Will likely reread.
That being said, it doesn't get a five star (which I usually give to books I'll read more than once) because I feel this books should have some content warnings. That may not have been such a big trend when this book came out, but in all honesty, chapter sixteen had me squicked way tf out, and it wasn't even that gory.
I listened to the audiobook, and Rosalyn Landor's performance was phenomenal. All the stars for her.
That being said, it doesn't get a five star (which I usually give to books I'll read more than once) because I feel this books should have some content warnings. That may not have been such a big trend when this book came out, but in all honesty, chapter sixteen had me squicked way tf out, and it wasn't even that gory.
I listened to the audiobook, and Rosalyn Landor's performance was phenomenal. All the stars for her.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Gore, Physical abuse, Medical content, Grief, Blood, Xenophobia, War, Medical trauma, Hate crime, Gaslighting, Death, Ableism, Kidnapping, Child death, Child abuse, and Body horror
stephxsu's review
3.0
IRONSKIN took an…interesting approach to retelling Jane Eyre with fantastical elements. Inconsistent with everything from its plot to its characterization, IRONSKIN will probably be a temporarily intriguing but ultimately forgettable entry in the category of classic retellings.
Readers who love Jane Eyre will probably find fewer things objectionable in IRONSKIN. I, however, was never a fan of the bland heroine, brooding, self-deprecating hero, and the melodramatic secrets unveiled at the end of the story. IRONSKIN actually does quite a good job of sticking to the original and necessary elements of JE. Mr. Rochart channels all of Edward Rochester’s self-deprecating comments and tortured moodiness. Which, you know, if you like that sort of self-pitying thing is all well and good. The setting of the house and the mysterious woods and moor surrounding it are played up and given dark life of their own. Surface-wise, things look good for IRONSKIN to be a great, loyal retelling.
It’s when the fantastical elements are added in that IRONSKIN loses some of its credibility with me. The tricky thing about retellings is that the progression of the characters’ decisions and actions has to make sense independent of the story it’s retelling. This is why superficial retellings of Pride and Prejudice have always bothered me: one can’t just “conveniently” bring up the existence of an impending high school “ball” in order to bring the separated lovers back together, or have one if the characters arbitrarily do something inconsistent to his or her character, just to set them back onto the path of the original story. IRONSKIN suffers from this in some regard too: little happens in the first half of the book besides for Jane struggling to teach Dorie and having cryptic encounters with the moody Mr. Rochart, which means that the book had to make lots of dramatic events happen in order to bring everything to its proper, dramatic conclusion in time. The pacing was clumsy, which resulted in some of the characters’ decisions feeling contrived for the sake of sticking to the original. It really took me out of the story, the constant awareness that IRONSKIN was adhering to the plot of Jane Eyre at its every twist and turn, and kind of smushed the original JE elements and new steampunk fantasy elements together when necessary.
I realize that I talked about a lot of my critiques of this book in my review, but really, IRONSKIN wasn’t a bad read…except for that I was a bit confused about some messages regarding beauty and “normalcy” that this book seemed to be sending. The trajectory of characters’ outcomes seems to suggest that it’s okay for women to base their worth upon their physical looks. Or something. I don’t know. I couldn’t quite put my finger on the implications. IRONSKIN was an interesting steampunk fantasy take on Jane Eyre, but I think I won’t be picking up the next book, because I felt myself skimming, my eyes wandering, too often for me to feel emotionally connected enough to the characters and their story.
Readers who love Jane Eyre will probably find fewer things objectionable in IRONSKIN. I, however, was never a fan of the bland heroine, brooding, self-deprecating hero, and the melodramatic secrets unveiled at the end of the story. IRONSKIN actually does quite a good job of sticking to the original and necessary elements of JE. Mr. Rochart channels all of Edward Rochester’s self-deprecating comments and tortured moodiness. Which, you know, if you like that sort of self-pitying thing is all well and good. The setting of the house and the mysterious woods and moor surrounding it are played up and given dark life of their own. Surface-wise, things look good for IRONSKIN to be a great, loyal retelling.
It’s when the fantastical elements are added in that IRONSKIN loses some of its credibility with me. The tricky thing about retellings is that the progression of the characters’ decisions and actions has to make sense independent of the story it’s retelling. This is why superficial retellings of Pride and Prejudice have always bothered me: one can’t just “conveniently” bring up the existence of an impending high school “ball” in order to bring the separated lovers back together, or have one if the characters arbitrarily do something inconsistent to his or her character, just to set them back onto the path of the original story. IRONSKIN suffers from this in some regard too: little happens in the first half of the book besides for Jane struggling to teach Dorie and having cryptic encounters with the moody Mr. Rochart, which means that the book had to make lots of dramatic events happen in order to bring everything to its proper, dramatic conclusion in time. The pacing was clumsy, which resulted in some of the characters’ decisions feeling contrived for the sake of sticking to the original. It really took me out of the story, the constant awareness that IRONSKIN was adhering to the plot of Jane Eyre at its every twist and turn, and kind of smushed the original JE elements and new steampunk fantasy elements together when necessary.
I realize that I talked about a lot of my critiques of this book in my review, but really, IRONSKIN wasn’t a bad read…except for that I was a bit confused about some messages regarding beauty and “normalcy” that this book seemed to be sending. The trajectory of characters’ outcomes seems to suggest that it’s okay for women to base their worth upon their physical looks. Or something. I don’t know. I couldn’t quite put my finger on the implications. IRONSKIN was an interesting steampunk fantasy take on Jane Eyre, but I think I won’t be picking up the next book, because I felt myself skimming, my eyes wandering, too often for me to feel emotionally connected enough to the characters and their story.
celjla212's review
3.0
3.5 STARS
Jane Eliot wears an iron mask over half her face to both conceal the fey curse that scarred her, and to keep its' effects within. Jane was cursed with uncontrollable rage when she tried to save her brother during the fey wars. In the years since, Jane has survived but is not really living.
Jane finds a position working with a child with "special needs" in the home of the enigmatic widower Edward Rochart. While caring for young Dorie, whose problems are very unique indeed, Jane notices that women cycle in and out of the Rochart home quite frequently...each leaving more beautiful than when they came. Jane is determined to find out what's going on, but the truth is far more macabre than she could have imagined.
Apparently this story is a retelling of Jane Eyre. I might get my book lover card revoked for this confession, but...I've never read Jane Eyre. So I'm not really sure how this book stacks up against it. As a story on its' own merits, well...
Jane is 21 years old, and the only family she has left is her younger sister, Helen. Because of her curse, Jane is extremely self conscious, a trait that does not couple well with her fey-induced rage. When Jane gets angry (which sometimes doesn't take much), her anger is like a red hot fire that she can feel inside. It's sometimes hard to keep it contained. Not only is Jane self conscious, she;s also a bit paranoid.
Edward is a young widower who lost his wife in childbirth. He loves his daughter Dorie, but is somewhat removed from her because of the things she can do. Still, I must ask, is bringing in a nanny who ADMITS that she is cursed with fury the best thing to do for your five year old daughter? This is just something that occurred to me while reading. I found it very interesting that Edward chose to surround himself with an all female house staff.
Even though he barely talks to her and is rarely there for his daughter, Jane falls for Edward. This was probably the most annoying thing to me in the entire book. They spent so little time together, to me it was like Jane's feelings for him came up absolutely out of nowhere. Despite the way he speaks to her, and all the women she saw coming in and out...Jane still fell in love with him. I didn't get it, at all.
I did very much enjoy the evil fey elements of the book. In fact, the supernatural parts were the most intriguing to me, and are what kept me reading. The book takes place in what sounds like an alternate post-Industrial Revolution dystopian period. Fey magic used to power the world, but after the war nothing was left and everyone is quite poor. I have very rarely seen fey as the evil entity in a book, so that was unique and appreciated.
As I got to the end of the book, I could see what was coming but the details surrounding everything were a little horrifying. I definitely applaud the author for creating such a cool background story for Edward. The events at the end moved pretty fast, but I was satisfied with the way the book closed.
I'd recommend this book for anyone who wants a different twist on a fey story--but don't read it for the romance.
Jane Eliot wears an iron mask over half her face to both conceal the fey curse that scarred her, and to keep its' effects within. Jane was cursed with uncontrollable rage when she tried to save her brother during the fey wars. In the years since, Jane has survived but is not really living.
Jane finds a position working with a child with "special needs" in the home of the enigmatic widower Edward Rochart. While caring for young Dorie, whose problems are very unique indeed, Jane notices that women cycle in and out of the Rochart home quite frequently...each leaving more beautiful than when they came. Jane is determined to find out what's going on, but the truth is far more macabre than she could have imagined.
Apparently this story is a retelling of Jane Eyre. I might get my book lover card revoked for this confession, but...I've never read Jane Eyre. So I'm not really sure how this book stacks up against it. As a story on its' own merits, well...
Jane is 21 years old, and the only family she has left is her younger sister, Helen. Because of her curse, Jane is extremely self conscious, a trait that does not couple well with her fey-induced rage. When Jane gets angry (which sometimes doesn't take much), her anger is like a red hot fire that she can feel inside. It's sometimes hard to keep it contained. Not only is Jane self conscious, she;s also a bit paranoid.
Edward is a young widower who lost his wife in childbirth. He loves his daughter Dorie, but is somewhat removed from her because of the things she can do. Still, I must ask, is bringing in a nanny who ADMITS that she is cursed with fury the best thing to do for your five year old daughter? This is just something that occurred to me while reading. I found it very interesting that Edward chose to surround himself with an all female house staff.
Even though he barely talks to her and is rarely there for his daughter, Jane falls for Edward. This was probably the most annoying thing to me in the entire book. They spent so little time together, to me it was like Jane's feelings for him came up absolutely out of nowhere. Despite the way he speaks to her, and all the women she saw coming in and out...Jane still fell in love with him. I didn't get it, at all.
I did very much enjoy the evil fey elements of the book. In fact, the supernatural parts were the most intriguing to me, and are what kept me reading. The book takes place in what sounds like an alternate post-Industrial Revolution dystopian period. Fey magic used to power the world, but after the war nothing was left and everyone is quite poor. I have very rarely seen fey as the evil entity in a book, so that was unique and appreciated.
As I got to the end of the book, I could see what was coming but the details surrounding everything were a little horrifying. I definitely applaud the author for creating such a cool background story for Edward. The events at the end moved pretty fast, but I was satisfied with the way the book closed.
I'd recommend this book for anyone who wants a different twist on a fey story--but don't read it for the romance.
jackiehorne's review
3.0
2.5 A re-imagining of JANE EYRE that is at times far too close to the original, and at others far too distant. Most disappointing is the flatness of the central romance. A book with a lot of potential, only part of it realized.
mcbrantley's review
3.0
A book that has some great ideas that aren't quite executed correctly.
Positives: In theory, Jane is a really cool main character. Her connection to rage allows for a lot of depth, and her ability to resist it makes her more intriguing. I think she has a pretty decent head on her shoulders, except for, perhaps, when it comes to Edward. I think Helen is also an interesting character and am looking forward to exploring her more. I think the beginnings of the Nanny story is very interesting, and it is a fun thought experiment to try and determine how one might teach a child with extraordinary powers lessons in normalcy. The ultimate antagonist is also quite cool, and the fae become quite menacing.
Negatives:I wish the exploration of the Ironskin had more pages devoted to it, and I wish the way that revelations were presented was a bit more skillful. The fact that Jane essentially stumbles into everything doesn't feel quite right. Edward is also utterly undesirable as a romantic interest and what is revealed later only compounds this sentiment for me. However, I really do love the idea of ironskins and how the fae function in this book. I just wish the author had identified the work's strengths and played into their hands.
Positives: In theory, Jane is a really cool main character. Her connection to rage allows for a lot of depth, and her ability to resist it makes her more intriguing. I think she has a pretty decent head on her shoulders, except for, perhaps, when it comes to Edward. I think Helen is also an interesting character and am looking forward to exploring her more. I think the beginnings of the Nanny story is very interesting, and it is a fun thought experiment to try and determine how one might teach a child with extraordinary powers lessons in normalcy. The ultimate antagonist is also quite cool, and the fae become quite menacing.
Negatives:I wish the exploration of the Ironskin had more pages devoted to it, and I wish the way that revelations were presented was a bit more skillful. The fact that Jane essentially stumbles into everything doesn't feel quite right. Edward is also utterly undesirable as a romantic interest and what is revealed later only compounds this sentiment for me. However, I really do love the idea of ironskins and how the fae function in this book. I just wish the author had identified the work's strengths and played into their hands.
eyreguide's review
5.0
What a beautifully layered story! For what seemed like a Jane Eyre retelling with supernatural elements, I was expecting something more straightforward and recognizably similar to the plot structure of Jane Eyre, but this novel was full of the unexpected! It does not directly follow the arc of Jane Eyre, but infuses the spirit and romance of the original novel into a new story. I found the relationship between Jane and her pupil, Dorie, unexpectedly complex, as Jane struggles to get through to her and in the end through Dorie, Jane comes to realize something very important about herself. The author also sets up a strong history in the narrative, with the Great War, and the influence of the ultimately treacherous fey adding to an intricate fictional/ alternate reality where humans are still struggling to recover from the effects of war and the loss of the fey-technology. The details of this history and Jane Eliot’s involvement is slowly meted out however, so there is a feeling of tension as you try to catch up on what everything means.
What I liked best about this story is how the author weaved in many elements - fantasy romance with touches of steampunk, and nods to Beauty and the Beast as well as elements of Jane Eyre - to create a heavily atmospheric, dark tale of love and beauty and secrets. The nature of the secrets are very unpredictable, just like Edward Rochart, the mysterious widower artist, who sees Jane Eliot not as fey cursed, but as a brave, strong woman. And yet Jane struggles to cope with her past, and her curse, and to find the self-respect she needs to accept love, making this novel a gloriously touching romance between two damaged people. Although I could have used a little more development between Jane and Edward’s relationship, and there are still some unanswered questions as to the nature of the fey (but this is the first book in a series), I loved this intricate, intelligent, Gothic tale and I highly recommend it to fantasy and Jane Eyre fans!
What I liked best about this story is how the author weaved in many elements - fantasy romance with touches of steampunk, and nods to Beauty and the Beast as well as elements of Jane Eyre - to create a heavily atmospheric, dark tale of love and beauty and secrets. The nature of the secrets are very unpredictable, just like Edward Rochart, the mysterious widower artist, who sees Jane Eliot not as fey cursed, but as a brave, strong woman. And yet Jane struggles to cope with her past, and her curse, and to find the self-respect she needs to accept love, making this novel a gloriously touching romance between two damaged people. Although I could have used a little more development between Jane and Edward’s relationship, and there are still some unanswered questions as to the nature of the fey (but this is the first book in a series), I loved this intricate, intelligent, Gothic tale and I highly recommend it to fantasy and Jane Eyre fans!
michalice's review
4.0
I am super excited to be the first stop on the Ironskin Blog Tour. Today I have a review and an author interview with Tina, so make sure to keep reading.
Ironskin has been around the blogosphere for a while and is a book I have been desperate to read, so when I got the chance to take part in a blog tour for the UK publication of Ironskin I jumped at the chance.
The protagonist of Ironskin is Jane, she is cursed after the Fey wars and has to wear an iron mask to contain the curse. Ever since she was cursed she has been going from job to job, moving along when her employer gets rid of her for men coming back from war, and who also aren't cursed. Left with no job she goes to the country to care for Dorie, a child who like Jane, has a curse.
Going into Ironskin I knew fey would be involved, but I had no idea of what else to expect when reading. Not only did I quickly feel sorry for Jane, primarily for the curse making her life harder than it has to be and basically making her an outcast, but also for having to deal with Dorie and try to make her act like a human child, and not like a fey. I absolutely adored Dorie. Yes she is a petulant, stubborn child, and quite a handful, (I work with children and know how difficult they can be), but having had each and every governess quickly leave her is not going to be easy on her...she just needed the right kind of person to help and understand her, and that person is Jane.
Mr Edward Rochart is Jane's employer, he makes masks for the rich, and in my head I imagined what he was doing but it wasn't until we actually witness a mask fitting in progress that you realise what he is actually doing, and it's quite a gruesome process that I definitely would not want to experience myself
One thing I loved about Ironskin was the variety of characters and 'creatures'. I liked how different each character was from the other, and even all the rich snotty ones had different personalities and mannerisms from the other. I never expected to meet other creatures other than fey and the humans and it was a nice surprise to meet a different creature entirely, but I'm not going to say who or what it is ;)
Ironskin was an unexpected read that constantly threw something into the plot that I was not expecting. Never knowing what was around the corner made the tense moments that much more tense, and the calm moments had me expecting something around the corner to ruin all the calm. After finishing Ironskin I am debating whether to wait for the UK release of Copperhead, or just go ahead and buy the USA version on pay day.....decisions decisions.
Ironskin has been around the blogosphere for a while and is a book I have been desperate to read, so when I got the chance to take part in a blog tour for the UK publication of Ironskin I jumped at the chance.
The protagonist of Ironskin is Jane, she is cursed after the Fey wars and has to wear an iron mask to contain the curse. Ever since she was cursed she has been going from job to job, moving along when her employer gets rid of her for men coming back from war, and who also aren't cursed. Left with no job she goes to the country to care for Dorie, a child who like Jane, has a curse.
Going into Ironskin I knew fey would be involved, but I had no idea of what else to expect when reading. Not only did I quickly feel sorry for Jane, primarily for the curse making her life harder than it has to be and basically making her an outcast, but also for having to deal with Dorie and try to make her act like a human child, and not like a fey. I absolutely adored Dorie. Yes she is a petulant, stubborn child, and quite a handful, (I work with children and know how difficult they can be), but having had each and every governess quickly leave her is not going to be easy on her...she just needed the right kind of person to help and understand her, and that person is Jane.
Mr Edward Rochart is Jane's employer, he makes masks for the rich, and in my head I imagined what he was doing but it wasn't until we actually witness a mask fitting in progress that you realise what he is actually doing, and it's quite a gruesome process that I definitely would not want to experience myself
One thing I loved about Ironskin was the variety of characters and 'creatures'. I liked how different each character was from the other, and even all the rich snotty ones had different personalities and mannerisms from the other. I never expected to meet other creatures other than fey and the humans and it was a nice surprise to meet a different creature entirely, but I'm not going to say who or what it is ;)
Ironskin was an unexpected read that constantly threw something into the plot that I was not expecting. Never knowing what was around the corner made the tense moments that much more tense, and the calm moments had me expecting something around the corner to ruin all the calm. After finishing Ironskin I am debating whether to wait for the UK release of Copperhead, or just go ahead and buy the USA version on pay day.....decisions decisions.
fishgirl182's review
3.0
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affected my review or opinion of the book.
Truth be told, I put Ironskin on my to-read list years ago and then promptly forgot about it. It came back onto my radar again recently and I finally took the time to read it, and I am really glad that I did.
Ironskin is set in historical England, in a world where fairies and dwarves exist and in which The Great War between humans and the fae ended just five years previous. While the fae have retreated to the edges of the world, their mark is still seen and felt. Human technology is trying to catch up from their long dependence on fae magic while others, like Jane Eliot, are left with more permanent scars. Those injured by fairy bombs must contain the curses the magical injuries cause with iron or those curses will leak onto those around them. Jane, injured in the battle that killed her brother, is cursed with rage. She must wear an iron mask on half of her face to contain the anger that seeks to consume her. Not wanting to be a burden on her betrothed sister, Jane takes a position as a governess to Dorie, a special little girl who must learn to hide her fae tendencies. Jane feels an indelible pull to her father, the secretive Mr. Rochart, even though she knows that nothing can ever come of it. However, her time with the Rocharts starts to unlock secrets to Jane's own life that just might save them all.
I had totally forgotten that this was supposed to be a loose retelling of Jane Eyre. Once I started reading though it became quite obvious what with a heroine named Jane Eyre working as a governess for the enigmatic Mr. Rochart. However, I think that is where the similarities end. Ironskin has many things that set it apart from the original and it stands alone as a unique story even without the Jane Eyre connection.
I was surprised by how quickly I got sucked into this dark new world. The fae are an ever present threat among the people of Britain. Connolly creates a dark and gothic new reality for the characters of this story. I really liked Jane, with her perseverance, grace, and good heart. I really felt for her even though at times I was frustrated with her for always putting others before herself, often to her own detriment.
While I really enjoyed the tension between Jane and Mr. Rochart, their relationship felt one sided for much of the story. While he clearly has an interest in Jane, his moods and motives are so unclear for most of the book that you can’t really blame Jane for thinking that he doesn't care about her at all. I know that this is all a part of the Rochester persona but I wish that the author would have given Jane a little more to sustain herself with.
Connolly does a really amazing job building a rich new world full of dark and deadly secrets. I felt a lot of Jane's dread and fear while trying to unravel the mysteries of the Rochart estate and its inhabitants. I definitely had an unsettled feeling while reading much of the book, just waiting for what might be revealed next. The book really captures the gothic feel of Jane Eyre but with its own unique twist.
Overall, I enjoyed the introduction into this exciting and dangerous new world. The author left a lot of room for the story to continue and I look forward to reading the other books in the series.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affected my review or opinion of the book.
Truth be told, I put Ironskin on my to-read list years ago and then promptly forgot about it. It came back onto my radar again recently and I finally took the time to read it, and I am really glad that I did.
Ironskin is set in historical England, in a world where fairies and dwarves exist and in which The Great War between humans and the fae ended just five years previous. While the fae have retreated to the edges of the world, their mark is still seen and felt. Human technology is trying to catch up from their long dependence on fae magic while others, like Jane Eliot, are left with more permanent scars. Those injured by fairy bombs must contain the curses the magical injuries cause with iron or those curses will leak onto those around them. Jane, injured in the battle that killed her brother, is cursed with rage. She must wear an iron mask on half of her face to contain the anger that seeks to consume her. Not wanting to be a burden on her betrothed sister, Jane takes a position as a governess to Dorie, a special little girl who must learn to hide her fae tendencies. Jane feels an indelible pull to her father, the secretive Mr. Rochart, even though she knows that nothing can ever come of it. However, her time with the Rocharts starts to unlock secrets to Jane's own life that just might save them all.
I had totally forgotten that this was supposed to be a loose retelling of Jane Eyre. Once I started reading though it became quite obvious what with a heroine named Jane Eyre working as a governess for the enigmatic Mr. Rochart. However, I think that is where the similarities end. Ironskin has many things that set it apart from the original and it stands alone as a unique story even without the Jane Eyre connection.
I was surprised by how quickly I got sucked into this dark new world. The fae are an ever present threat among the people of Britain. Connolly creates a dark and gothic new reality for the characters of this story. I really liked Jane, with her perseverance, grace, and good heart. I really felt for her even though at times I was frustrated with her for always putting others before herself, often to her own detriment.
While I really enjoyed the tension between Jane and Mr. Rochart, their relationship felt one sided for much of the story. While he clearly has an interest in Jane, his moods and motives are so unclear for most of the book that you can’t really blame Jane for thinking that he doesn't care about her at all. I know that this is all a part of the Rochester persona but I wish that the author would have given Jane a little more to sustain herself with.
Connolly does a really amazing job building a rich new world full of dark and deadly secrets. I felt a lot of Jane's dread and fear while trying to unravel the mysteries of the Rochart estate and its inhabitants. I definitely had an unsettled feeling while reading much of the book, just waiting for what might be revealed next. The book really captures the gothic feel of Jane Eyre but with its own unique twist.
Overall, I enjoyed the introduction into this exciting and dangerous new world. The author left a lot of room for the story to continue and I look forward to reading the other books in the series.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affected my review or opinion of the book.
balletbookworm's review
3.0
It's strange. I really liked the originality that went into building the fey/steampunk-like world. Great plot concept. And yet there was so much Jane Eyre grafted onto the story (right down to some specific dialogue) that it got distracting.
I am actually interested in the second IRONSKIN book because I wonder what direction it will take in this world Connelly has created. I'd like to see what she can do beyond the Bronte skeleton.
I am actually interested in the second IRONSKIN book because I wonder what direction it will take in this world Connelly has created. I'd like to see what she can do beyond the Bronte skeleton.
weweresotired's review
3.0
See the full review on Short & Sweet Reviews.
I liked this book but didn't love it. Tina Connolly's writing is solid and there were many scenes that hit just the right emotional chord -- fear, panic, beauty, affection, desire. Her flowery language certainly fits the tone and style that she's trying to match by calling on Jane Eyre. Unfortunately, there were many parts where the story dragged and dragged, and I just wanted the plot to get a move on.
The beginning meanders about as Jane tries to teach Dorie to act a little more normal and a little less cursed. Dorie is difficult, doesn't take direction well, and isn't used to being told what to do, so things are difficult for Jane. If this book were a movie, I feel like all of these teaching sequences with Dorie would be blended into one long training montage, much more quick and efficient than flipping through pages and pages of Dorie acting out and Jane being silently frustrated. For a long-ish book, it didn't feel like much happened until the very end, and then it all happened in such a rush that I don't honestly know that I caught all of what happened.
I liked this book but didn't love it. Tina Connolly's writing is solid and there were many scenes that hit just the right emotional chord -- fear, panic, beauty, affection, desire. Her flowery language certainly fits the tone and style that she's trying to match by calling on Jane Eyre. Unfortunately, there were many parts where the story dragged and dragged, and I just wanted the plot to get a move on.
The beginning meanders about as Jane tries to teach Dorie to act a little more normal and a little less cursed. Dorie is difficult, doesn't take direction well, and isn't used to being told what to do, so things are difficult for Jane. If this book were a movie, I feel like all of these teaching sequences with Dorie would be blended into one long training montage, much more quick and efficient than flipping through pages and pages of Dorie acting out and Jane being silently frustrated. For a long-ish book, it didn't feel like much happened until the very end, and then it all happened in such a rush that I don't honestly know that I caught all of what happened.